Husqvarna 701 CAN Touch Display & Virtual Fuel Gauge

 

My 2023 Husqvarna 701 Enduro has a very crude display. I have no fuel gauge and no good way to tell how much fuel is in the tank. It has a low fuel light and that is it. It has no coolant temperature, side stand indicator, gear indicator (except a neutral light) or RPM readout either. 

I decided to build an ESP32-based project to fill these gaps. I also wanted to know what ABS mode I was in right after start and not have to wait until after ABS prove-out and wait for the ABS light to indicate state. I know this information is available on CAN (Controller Area Network). This means I could acquire it from CAN without adding any sensors. I only connect 4 wires to the motorcycle, all 4 available at the OBD (On-Board Diagnostics) port. I have not found another device that reads CAN data to calculate fuel consumed and give a virtual fuel gauge, range, and fuel economy like this.

I started with this Waveshare ESP32-S3 4.3" touch display: https://docs.waveshare.com/ESP32-S3-Touch-LCD-4.3B. I bought the socket and plug sides of the OBD connector so I could T into power, ground, and CAN. I used 22AWG shielded double twisted pair wiring to route form the OBD connector to the display. I used a small 5-pin ebike display plug and socket to provide a connection at the display end. I built the project using Visual Studio Code and Copilot. The vast majority of the coding was done by Copilot and/or Gemini.

Description	Price	URL to Buy
Total	$125.00
Waveshare ESP32-S3 4.3" display	$56.00	https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0DD6VLH1Y
5-pin ebike connectors	$10.00	https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0GVQWK71H
OBD connector set	$12.00	https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0FCLJP2ZY
Shielded, double twisted pair wire	$19.00	https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0FHPGN8M7
Waterproof case	$14.00	https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07PK8K8S2
Rubber grommet for case	$8.00	https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0DKTBPPN3
CR927 battery	$6.00	https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0DDSW4SF7

Note: many of these products come in sets or packs. If you were making multiple devices, these sets could cover multiple displays.

Here is the OBD connector on the motorcycle (looking into the face of the plug)

I made the wire harness that T's into the OBD port. The other connector goes to the Veridian cruise control.

Here is the display fitted to the bike. Not a production setup but a location that will work for testing.

Here was some early testing once we (Copilot, Gemini, and I) researched and reverse engineered the data from CAN traffic: 

I rode up to Mt Charleston and back, about 44 miles. The estimated fuel economy aligns with my expectation and experience for this ride. I plan to test it between fill-ups and see how close it is. I can use actual measured fuel economy and consumption to compare to its estimate and adjust it as needed to improve accuracy. After this initial test, I implemented a better VE map to improve the fuel consumption estimate.

I was unable to acquire fuel rate directly from CAN so we implemented a basic speed-density model to estimate fuel flow into the engine using data available on CAN. I made a simple reset button for the fuel level. Fill the fuel tank and tap the reset button (top center) to tell the module the tank is full. From there the speed-density model estimates fuel consumed by the engine and subtracts that from the full tank. The fuel remaining indicator (top right) shows the estimated fuel remaining in the tank. The fuel gauge (top left) gives a simple visual indicator of remaining fuel volume. This design uses no moving parts or fuel senders that struggle to survive the harsh off-road motorcycle environment. It also shows fuel quantity, not level (much more useful). Complex tank geometry complicates the meaning of fuel level. This calculates fuel quantity and is completely independent of tank geometry, fuel slosh, and how level the bike is. You simply tell it when you fill it and it measures (estimates) the fuel the engine is consuming to estimate the remaining fuel volume. 

Since the Waveshare module is not rugged nor water and dust proof, I bought a waterproof enclosure to mount it in. I modified the enclosure to make it more compact by cutting the back off and gluing flat ABS plastic to the back to make a very shallow enclosure. In order to minimize shock and vibration, the Waveshare sandwiches between foam behind it, and small felt pads between the front and the clear enclosure front. I also mounted the whole assembly to the top of my front bag, which isolates it more from shock and vibration. Once I get this all working well, I should find more robust hardware for a more production ready solution. This is good enough for testing to prove it out though. I can see through the clear enclosure cover OK most of the time but glare is a problem. The location is not great as you have to look too far down to see it. Ideally I would have it mounted above the factory display but I need a better device for that. A rally tower would make that mounting much easier.

I also calculate fuel economy and remaining fuel range similar to modern cars and display that. The image below is from a Windows emulator of the latest UI design. I made several elements bigger for visibility.

The RPM bar changes to yellow at peak HP and red at max engine speed. The gear indicator not only shows neutral, but also shows all 6 gears. The ABS indicator shows ON (default), off-road (in off-road ABS dongle mode), or OFF. The side stand shows up or down. It turns yellow when down, green when up. The CAN indicator defaults to yellow (no CAN data) and turns green when it is reading CAN data. It can also record CAN data to the SD card. We used that CAN data recorder heavily when reverse engineering. This device has a battery-backed real time clock. Clicking the date/time at the bottom opens a dialog for setting it. This is mainly used for data logging to correlate the data to interactions.

Now that I know how to trigger off-road ABS mode, I could easily implement that in this same display. I am thinking of making a feature that has ABS simply follow the traction control setting. If traction control is in off-road mode, set ABS to off-road mode as well (presuming the traction control mode can be read on CAN). This device has Wi-Fi and Bluetooth as well. I could add features that use that such as a BLE broadcast of selected data, data upload when in Wi-Fi, and mobile app integrations. 

The next step is to validate the fuel economy and fuel tank quantity estimates by comparing fuel added during a tank fill with the tank size minus the displayed fuel remaining volume. These should be equal (or very close). The fuel economy estimate indicates how accurate the calculated fuel consumed is. Right now I have the inputs to the speed-density model reading 4 times per second and an AI generated engine volumetric efficiency (VE) estimate. I have a VE map created from internet data that represents this engine. Once I get everything working well and validated, then it is time to hunt for better hardware.

After this ride (above) I added 2.225 gallons to the tank to fill it. 3.43 - 2.225 = 1.205 gallons remaining. My display estimated 1.24 gallons remaining giving a difference of about 0.035 gallons (about 1% difference). 

I have the software here: https://github.com/jroal/701display  You will need to setup your Visual Studio Code environment with the correct COM port on your display to flash it. It has an intermittent glitchy display that I have not solved yet but it functions well.

https://www.facebook.com/share/p/19VB14FSF7/

Husqvarna 701 Enduro Extra Fuel

I have a 2023 Husqvarna 701 Enduro motorcycle. I love this bike. One of the challenges with this design is there are not many options for carrying additional fuel for longer rides. The stock rear-mounted fuel tank carries 3.4 gallons, which gives a range around 160 miles (I average about 50mpg). The low fuel light generally illuminates at around 135 miles ridden. This is adequate range for the vast majority of my rides. Occasionally we want to ride a longer loop that has no fuel stations and I need to carry extra fuel. This is rare, maybe once a year.

I started with a cheap Amazon 1.3 gallon Rotopax copy fuel can. It was under $40, and very poor quality.

The plastic mount broke on the first ride so I reinforced it with through bolts.

There were still several issues. The aluminum plate was cantilevered off the side of the rear luggage rack. When riding in rough terrain the luggage rack would flex. I was concerned with fatigue failure longer term. I attempted to find another anchor point but there is not any point available on is bike. I even considered pannier racks to mount the can but I preferred to not add all that bulk and weight. I also wanted to carry the fuel as low as possible in the bike.

Husqvarna 701 Enduro 10k mile update

 

My Husqvarna 701 Enduro just crossed 10,000 miles. I bought it new in the fall of 2023 and ride it most weekends. Here in the Southwest we ride all year. I had to take a couple breaks from riding due to injuries. I really love this bike and it fits my riding desires well. I am between dual sport riding and adventure riding. Maybe a bit more towards adventure riding but not into long pavement rides or camping.

Beyond maintenance and upgrades, here is the list of repairs I had to make:

• Radiator. One day it just started leaking in the middle of the core. It was a small leak. No apparent physical damage. The bike had about 9,000 miles on it when this happened in December 2025.
  
  
  
• Fuel tank mounts. The top fuel tank bolts loosened and one was completely disengaged. Then one of the lower mount bolts broke. The fuel tank is the rear subframe. There is a subframe reinforcement kit for this but at a minimum check your bolts regularly.
• Sidestand sensor. This is a common issue with these bikes. It sits low and it exposed. It was flakey from new, intermittently preventing start and setting DTCs. They replaced it under warranty but the issues persisted but very intermittently. Luckily I bought a sidestand sensor dongle that simulates the sidestand always up solving this problem. If you have one of these bikes this device is a must. 
  
  
  
• The shifter rubber part disappeared one day so I upgraded to a Tusk all-metal one. 

  

  
  

We have some very rocky terrain around here so this bike has taken a beating. Not to mention my questionable riding skills and numerous times I have dropped the bike. The crash bars have some miles on them for sure. My camera has great smoothing making this look much smoother than it is but here is an example of the rough trails.

There are certainly trails with larger rocks that I have ridden but what made this one bad was that it is not really steep and it was straight so the speed was higher and it was long. The beating just never stopped. There are many more great examples on my YouTube channel such as Wheeler Pass North side and Kingston Powerline Road.

The longer I have the bike, the shorter the rear tire life. My original TKC 80 rear tire lasted almost 3,000 miles. Then I switched to Anakee Wild tires, the first rear lasting only 1700 miles. The last Anakee Wild lasted only 1200 miles. I replace them at about 4mm remaining. I now have a nearly worn out TKC 80 with about 1300 miles on it. I have a TKC 80 gen 2 ready for installation soon. The front tires outlast the rears but about 5:1. 

I average somewhere in the high 40's for miles-per-gallon. That is a mix of on and off road but mostly off road. I have done as good as low 60's if riding smooth sections where I am in 6th gear often but below 55mph. I have had as low as mid-30's when blasting down the highway with the windshield on into a headwind. I now have a truck to haul the bike so long highway rides are much less common. 

Here are some prior updates:

I bought a Husqvarna 701 Enduro .

1,000 mile review of the Husky.

T-Rex skid plate and crash bars

2,000 mile review

5,000 mile review

Veridian cruise install

Veridian Cruise Install

Unboxing.

 I love my Husqvarna 701 Enduro but one thing I wished I had was cruise control. Those times when you are cruising on the highway for over 30 minutes is when I really want it. Your hand just gets tired holding the throttle for long periods, and too often I don't maintain speed well. My mirrors get knocked out of position off-road, generally from hitting branches. I don't notice it until I am cruising down the highway. Adjusting the left side is no big deal but the right mirror requires I take my hand off the throttle and the bike slows down fast. This was not a big enough deal by itself to buy cruise control.

I searched around for a cruise control system and found the Veridian system for my bike (Euro 4 kit). Not only was it a proper cruise control system, but it also supports CAN dongle features. A very important feature it supports is the ability to enter a permanent off-road mode (ABS fully OFF). It maintains this mode through key cycles too. The frustrating and dangerous thing about the stock ABS system is that it always defaults back ON after every key cycle. This can be dangerous off road as ABS does not help at all off-road. In fact, it makes stopping distances much longer. In order to disable ABS after key ON you have to roll forward fast enough for the wheel speeds to qualify, and then the ABS light goes out. Now you have to hold the ABS button for 5 seconds until the light goes back out. At this point you are ready to ride, but only for that key cycle. Shut the key OFF and you have to repeat the process. This Veridian system lets you set off-road mode and have it maintain it through key cycles, until you re-enable it through the Veridian system Perfect!

The install was fairly easy but did take a couple hours. I have so many farkles on my handlebars finding a place for the 3-button control was a challenge. I ended up mounting it to the right mirror mount. I used some hose pieces and tape to make the mounting diameter correct. I may revisit this as the button are a bit far from your grip and it would be better to have it on the other side.

I routed the wire under the key switch cover. I mounted the module behind the left side cover, in front of the airbox. This is where it connects to the throttle wiring too. The module needs to be mounted near the ignition switch, which is where the throttle connectors are as well. 

The image above shows the module mounted behind the left side cover near the ignition switch.

The image above shows the view of the connectors from the top with the seat and ignition cover removed. You can see the white connectors.

I routed the OBD connector wiring along the airbox and back to the fuse box area where it connects to the OBD connector, and the rear brake input. Like many of these kits, they have a Scotchlock in the kit to tap the rear brake wire. These are evil little things you never want to use. Instead I used a screw block. I used dielectric grease on the wires to prevent corrosion (see below). This is under the seat where it is semi-protected. 

The system works as advertised. Basically just like a typical car cruise control. The image below shows the wiring. The system modifies the throttle command to the engine control. It also connects to the OBD port to get power and data such as engine speed, brake status, wheel speeds, etc., from CAN. This CAN connection is also used for the ABS disable function. 

Video showing how to go from normal ABS mode to ABS disabled mode.

This video shows going from ABS disabled mode to normal ABS mode.

Function of ABS add-on

After installation the cruise worked fine. I came home and entered and exited the ABS add-on feature (videos above). The next ride the cruise would not work. When I tried to engage it, the throttle control went away, engine dropped to low idle. After about a second, I was able to control the throttle again with the handle as normal. I contacted Veridian and they suspected that I may have inadvertently entered the throttle calibration mode. Sure enough, I had. Notice the both throttle for each sensor are about the same.

The said to recalibrate the throttle following this procedure: 

Here is how do to the throttle calibration.

1. Bike on, Engine off

2. Press Cruise Set 5 times, the controller will flash blue.

3. HOLD the throttle open and press Cruise Cancel.

https://youtu.be/NTCSbwuB6WU

That fixed the cruise control. Now my calibrations are correct.

8-17-2025 Update

I have now used the ABD add-on more and I really like it. There is still some front ABS but it totally disables rear. I have now ridded several miles on easy to medium terrain and I will be using it from now on. So nice it holds though key cycles. 

One interesting note is that the accel and decel work differently than some car cruise control. You can't hold it to continue to accelerate or decelerate. It only recognizes a single press, no matter how long you hold it. As it says in the operators manual, a press of the set/decel means set that speed, or if you already have the cruise engaged, decel by 3mph. The + button (right side in my installation) means resume to last set speed if the cruise was not currently engaged, or increment by 3mph if the cruise is engaged. 

Based on this function, I changed how I mounted the switch.

This was the set switch is closest to the throttle, making it easier to set.

Here is a short video showing the cruise control system in use.

That video was shot just before changing the switch orientation.

8-14-2026 Update

I have had trouble switch the ABS mode. After discussing this with Veridian, they said a single CAN message is sent telling the ABS an ABS dongle is present. That invokes the off-road ABS mode from then on. Timing matters. When switching modes, start by the 4 taps on the SET switch followed by a single tap on the cancel switch. Now you must power OFF the bike, wait until it shuts OFF, then power back on for the new mode to take. Depending on timing, it MAY take in the same power cycle but it may not. After switching modes a power cycle is needed to ensure it starts in the mode you selected. 

Here is the important part about switching modes. Start by knowing the current mode. Always do this to switch modes:

1. Key ON
2. Press the set button (yellow circule below) 4 times, then press the cancel button once. 
3. Key OFF, wait until bike shuts down.
4. Now start the bike. The ABS dongle mode will be in the new mode.
   
   
   
    

Since timing is important here, and it is a simple CAN message that must be received by the ABS module, you must turn the key OFF after switching modes, wait until the bike fully shuts down (about 5s), and then start the bike in the new mode. The Veridian system retains the mode you selected between key cycles. It will power up in the last mode you set. While you can change Veridian ABS modes and start the bike without cycling the key, the new mode may or may not take effect depending on mode and timing. For instance, if you switch to ABS dongle mode later in a key system, the Veridian module will make the change but the ABS module may not accept this because too much time has passed from key ON. Your next key cycle will then switch to the new mode. 

Husqvarna 701 Enduro 5,000 mile update

 

I now have 5,000 miles on the Husqvarna 701 Enduro. Love this bike for sure. 

Here are some upgrades from my last update at 2,000 miles. 

• Replaced the Continental TKC 80 tires with Michelin Anakee Wild. I have also replaced the rear again with another Anakee Wild (front was about 80% still). Performance is very similar but the TKC 80's lasted almost twice as long (2900 miles versus 1700 miles). I replaced them when the center of the tread is down to about 4mm. The only reason I switched was due to availability of the TKC 80. I will be going back to TKC 80 when these wear out.
• Added a Garmin Zumo XT2 navigation system. My old smartphone navigation had some flaws, mainly screen brightness and size. The Zumo XT2 has excellent screen brightness and several other useful features. 
• Removed the kickstand sensor guard due to intermittent issues with kickstand sensor faults. I also had the sensor replaced under warranty. Worked fine for over 1,000 miles but the fault happened again just once. It has been another 1,000 miles with no issues. 
• Due to heavy dust on most of our rides, I went back to a factory paper air filter. No real evidence the K&N was not doing the job but just concerned it does not catch quite as small of particles as the paper. 
• Replaced the front bag due to the other one failing the zipper.  
• Seat Concepts Comfort XL seat. This does make a big difference. When you first sit on it you wonder if it was worth the $400. I long ride down the highway confirms that it is. Actually any ride where you are on the seat. 
• I added an external mic and fuzzy wind socks. I put the mic on the front bag to isolate it from all vibration. Now the audio in my videos is drastically better. 

I track my fuel economy and I am averaging about 50mpg.  It can drop as low as 35mpg on long fast highway segments. The worst I got was 33mph on a highway segment into a strong headwind. The best has been 65mpg. 

I finally learned how to use the quick shifter and it is magical! It is just a habit for me to let off the throttle when shifting, a habit very hard to break. The way you ride a quick shifter is stay even on the throttle and just make the shift. It even works great at full throttle. It works both up and down, automatically speed matching via engine control. It cuts engine power very briefly to make the shift but it is so fast it feels like constant power delivery. 

I hit 5,000 miles near Tecopa California on a Red Rock Rumble ride sponsored by Red Rock Harley Davidson. YouTube playlist from that ride: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLZ4ONVypz2fZAOWldAgCFsl1RgZaQYVnw&si=01wwFbDfKNxm9ApB  

Husqvarna 701 Enduro 2,000 mile update

 

I have now gone past 2,000 miles on the Husky and still loving it.  I bought this bike new last fall from a local dealer, Carter Powersports.  I made a few upgrades and rode it over 1,000 miles before having an accident on it in January which preventing me riding it for several months.  I started riding it again in June and now have 2,076 miles on it, mostly off-road.  

Here are some upgrades I have made so far:

• Rear luggage rack.
• Rear bag that I bolted to the luggage rack. I also have Velcro straps bolted in to keep any luggage from moving around.
• Front bag that I custom mounted between the seat and key switch area.
• Doubletake mirrors.
• Cycra hand guards and mounts.
• I tried 2 different windshields.  First a small Puig. Later I installed a large Madstad (22" size). I would get the 18" instead.  I also drilled a second set of hose so I can drop it way down out of the way when off-road.
• NiceCNC gas cap.
• Upgraded the headlight bulb to LASFIT high power LED.
• LED marker lights and driving lights to improve visibility.
• Upgraded the turn signal bulbs to brighter LED.
• K&N air filter.
• Rear brake master cylinder guard.
• Custom made a kickstand sensor guard and also bought a Vanasche side stand dongle I keep with me just in case. 
• T-Rex skid plate and crash bars. 
• USB charger.
• I bought a cheap 1.3G gas can with center mount.  I had to modify the mount that came with it since it broke off quickly. I cover this at the end of my 1,000 mile review. 
• I also added a cheap dash camera mostly for insurance reasons.  It records all the time. I may upgrade to a proper dual camera motorcycle recording system later.  With so many poor inattentive drivers out there I think it is important to record everything.  

I keep a small 12V air compressor and a pump-in tire slime kit, zip ties, extra tie down straps, basic tools, etc., in the rear bag. I also added a 12V connector under the seat to connect the compressor.

The license plate holder and part of the rear fender broke off on my last ride (a rough rocky gravel road).  It appears that the metal frame holding the side reflectors caught the knobby tire over a bump, breaking it off.  I always thought that looked a bit flimsy.  I cut the rear fender off square and just mounted the license place to the rear of my bag.  

Taken just after my license plate mount and chunk of rear fender broke off

This bike has no problem cruising down the highway.  The issues is the wind is noisy and fatiguing after a while. I tried 2 different windshields on the bike. The first was the small Puig.

It just mounts to the plastic around the headlight.  It had some effect in reducing the wind pressure on your check but almost no improvement at the helmet.  After a ride that included many miles of freeway, and into a headwind, I decided I wanted more wind protection so I ordered the Madstad windshield in the 22" model.  Here is what that looks like installed.

Enormous, right.  It is adjustable and it does cut the wind from the helmet area as advertised.  I did a long highway segment with this and found myself cruising along at high speed in more comfort. However, off-road it is bulky and you can hit your helmet on it over the rough stuff. To address this, I drilled another set of mounting holes in it and use thumb screws so I can switch it easily with no tools.  Here is what it looks like in the off-road position.

  The Madstad mounting system also has a significant amount of adjustment.  In hindsight, I should have ordered the 18" windshield instead of this 22" one.  I may trim several inches off the top later.  I can also just remove it completely with the 4 thumbscrews depending on the type of riding I am doing. It takes about 2 minutes to switch the mounting position. I also added a Ram camera mount for my Insta360 action camera (photo above that last one).  

Here is a video playlist from one of my more recent rides (before the Madstad windshield): https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLZ4ONVypz2fbh594JYO5ftFDV-qHEImyT  

After 2,000 miles and all kinds of dual sport riding, I continue to love this bike.  I still have the original tires on it but the rear is getting fairly worn at this point. Here are a few thoughts on pros and cons from my perspective:

Pros:

• Excellent flexibility.  Does both on and off road very well.
• Good fuel range.  Can go about 165 miles on a tank with mixed riding, more if on-road.
• Excellent electronics.  The traction control and ABS work well and can both be switched off for more aggressive off-road riding.  I do turn OFF the ABS off-road.
• Rear fuel tank leaves the front seat area wide open.  The more flat seat make it easy to move around as needed.
• Love the motor power! No need for any power upgrades in my opinion.   
• Great having 6 speeds in the transmission.
• Love the clutch.  Easy and smooth hydraulic operation and a very long engagement range.
• Love throttle by wire too.  Easy and smooth.
• EFI is fantastic.  Even after you drop the bike (which I have done plenty) it starts up immediately every time.  I average about 50mpg with mostly off-road riding. The rev limit is also great especially since there is no tachometer.
• Great maintenance schedule for a bike like this.  Oil changes are 10x longer than many dual sports.

Cons:

• Weight. Although for what it is it is very light actually.  Off-road we just always want lighter.  This bike weighs about 350lbs full of fuel and gear.
• Engine noise.  As many articles also mention the LC4 engine sounds like a rock tumbler.  I have a friend with an earlier version of this bike but with an aftermarket exhaust which is loud.  That really helps because the exhaust sound is great and covers over the engine noise.  
• Seat height.  It is a bit high but this is of course a trade-off.  There are lowering kits but I don't want the downsides of that either.  
• Seat firmness.  It is to the firm side and the padding is very thin.  Again, a bunch of trade-offs here because thicker padding would make the seat even higher. You can get aftermarket seats.  I just added a cushion on top and that worked pretty well.
• Key and gas cap.  The chipped key is great for anti-theft.  However, I broke mine very easily and had to get it replaced, which is expensive.  To make this worse, the key is needed for the factory gas cap and in that cap the key turns very hard.  This is why I installed an aftermarket non-locking gas cap.
• There is no fuel level indicator and you cannot see into the tank.  There is a low fuel light at least. I had it come on only 1 time after 154 miles of riding.  I put 2.6 gallons in it to fill it after 154 miles.    
• Very basic display with no actual gear indicator (only a neutral indicator) and no fuel level indicator (only a low fuel light).

Many summarize this bike like this.  If you want to have just one motorcycle for all your on-road and off-road riding, this is it. There are lighter more off-road capable dual sports, but they are not as good on the road.  There are more comfortable dual sport motorcycles for longer adventures, but they weight much more and/or don't have nearly as good of off-road suspension.  Motorcycles are all trade-offs, especially dual sport and adventure bikes.  The Husqvarna 701 Enduro (and KTM 690 Enduro or GasGas 700) is an excellent choice for the 70% off-road, 30% on-road crowd (those percentages based on time, not miles). You can ride from your house without hauling a bike, and having to have something to haul it with. Just hop on and go right from your house.  I love that about this bike.  You can also use it as an adventure bike.      

Here is a video playlist with many other reviews of this bike: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLZ4ONVypz2fZjtowskb2w3vPZASbti7Hn

Biktrix Juggernaut Ultra FS Pro 3 - 1000 mile update

 

I have now ridden over 1,000 miles on this bike, the vast majority off-road.  Since my last update, I replaced the chain at about 900 miles.  It was worn out already.  Not surprising given the forces it has to take on this bike. I am not easy on it. The places I ride have large elevation changes, steep rocky hills, and loamy sand and gravel. I often gain 2,000ft or more in elevation.  Long uphill climbs and then basically coasting back powered by gravity.  The fat tires and full suspension are both hard requirements. I use the full suspension travel very often. 

I often go multiple rides between battery charges. I keep both batteries on the bike and both used at all times to help extend the battery life.  This way the discharge rates are easier on both batteries. I never worry about range at all.  My longest hardest ride uses less than 50% of my total battery capacity. The range extender battery weights about 10lbs but on a bike this heavy I don't really notice it. With the motor power the weight is not a big deal.  I get about 70 hard off-road miles at about 50% battery consumption. A typical 20 mile off-road ride takes about 2 hours.  The batteries will last much longer than I will.

Here is a video of some of the terrain I ride in.

It shows crossing several loamy washes and some of the rocky segments and ends with a fun downhill segment. I have many more videos on my YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@JimRoal 

Here is a video playlist from my last ride: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLZ4ONVypz2fbyh-qyXL8ksrHx6UrYPwEz . This segment shows the loam we have here: https://youtu.be/6StrrBjZD8A?si=j2K_ctuqBQ1i9uV0 

I am becoming a better rider.  Some of that is actually due to me getting back into motorcycles.  I bought a Husqvarna 701 Enduro last fall. This is the first motorcycle I have owned in over 25 years, and it is the heaviest and most powerful too.  Riding this in loamy areas and other off-road challenges has made me a much better and more confident rider on the mountain bike. The ways you control the heavy motorcycle also work on the much lighter mountain bike. My mountain bike weighs 90lbs which is very heavy by mountain bike standards, but a feather compared to the motorcycle which weighs over 350lbs.    

2023 Husqvarna 701 Enduro T-Rex skid plate and crash bars install

After searching the internet for the options on skid plate and crash bars for my 2023 Husqvarna 701 Enduro I decided to go with the T-Rex kit (Part Number: N167-16EG + N167-16SP). This kit did not claim to fit my bike exactly but rather KTM 690 Enduro/Supermoto and Husqvarna 701 Supermoto of years prior to mine.  I contacted the company and asked about it fitting my bike.  I worked out a deal to try it out.  

Before installing it I weighed the components so I could later compare to what I removed.

• Skid plate - 53.5oz
• Left crash bar - 32.5oz
• Right crash bar - 34.7oz
• Attaching hardware - 22.2oz

142.9oz or 8.93lbs.  I also weighed the factory plastic skid plate assembly and it came in at 25.4oz and 8.7oz of removed mounting hardware for a net weight gain of 6.8lbs.  The added weight is fairly low on the bike, the skid plate being the heaviest single component and also the lowest. 

The install was very easy and straightforward.  It took less than 20 minutes I would guess.  Here is a video of the install.

It fit the bike well and offers the protection I was looking for. The crash bars are simple and don't go as high as others but will likely take most of the hit if I drop the bike on either side, protecting the radiators. 

The skid plate has extensions on both sides that help protect the side cases from objects from the front.  They even offer some protection from dropping the bike on the side depending on the surface.

While it would have been convenient to use the original sockets to catch the back of the skid plate, the T-Rex design is much more robust.

Between the skip plate and crash bars, the water pump looks well protected now.

I like the lower position of the crash bars, both to keep the weight down low, and since this is a much stronger design than other bars.

I like the design of these crash bars compared to many others I have seen.  The cross bar is positioned well to prevent branches and other things from getting captured by the bars when riding.  It will tend to deflect them away.